Assessing the gap between reality and perception of corporate sustainability in the automotive industry: a comparative analysis of Mercedes-Benz and Tesla

In a context where sustainability has evolved from a peripheral concern into a core determinant of corporate reputation and competitive legitimacy, understanding how it can be implemented, communicated and interpreted emerges as a crucial challenge for firms seeking long-term resilience – especially in highly impactful industries, such as the automotive one. Against this background, the present work explores the interplay between reality and perception of corporate sustainability, focusing on the comparison between two leading car manufacturers: Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. By combining the critical analysis of third-party ratings and official corporate disclosures with the empirical investigation of consumers’ opinions, this study adopts a data-driven approach aimed at capturing any possible difference between measurable performance and subjective judgement of these two companies. Findings reveal a clear discrepancy between these two planes of evaluation. While Mercedes-Benz’s sustainability strategy is consistently assessed as more balanced and responsible, Tesla is perceived as equally sustainable despite a record marked by greater controversy and uneven disclosure. This perceptual alignment stems largely from Tesla’s symbolic association with innovation and technological disruption, which amplifies its environmental image in the public eye. Conversely, Mercedes-Benz’s lower media visibility and more traditional communication style appear to limit its advantage despite stronger objective performance. Ultimately, this research underscores that sustainability today functions not only as an operational commitment, but also as a communicative and reputational construct. The gap between real and perceived sustainability highlights how differing levels of visibility can decisively influence stakeholder judgement – establishing that genuine corporate sustainability ought to extend beyond responsible practices to encompass communicative efforts aimed at enhancing public awareness.